Musicman Stingray 5 Selector Switch

[ASW]

I have a 2015 Stingray 5 which I've had a couple of years. I like it a lot and I think it's the only bass I've played at gigs this year. 

 

However, I do wonder if there is an issue with it. All three selections on the pickup selector switch sound identical. Perhaps it's my unrefined ear, but no matter what I do, I can't hear any difference whatsoever between the three positions which makes me wonder if it is working properly. 

 

I will upload a sound sample later, but in the meantime was wondering if anyone could tell me whether it should sound noticeably different on the three switch positions. 

 

It does appear to switch something when going between the positions, but sounds the same to me when landing on the positions. If I wedge the switch between two of the positions, it clearly becomes single coil as it has a thinner sound and I can hear the single coil hum. 

 

I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of anyone who has a Stingray 5 as to whether you think my bass my be faulty or if Musicman deliberately designed the selector switch to be utterly pointless! 

[HeadlessBassist]

"A Music Man Stingray 5's 3-way pickup selector switch offers three distinct tonal settings for the humbucking pickup: series, parallel, and a hum-canceling single-coil mode. Series mode provides the classic, punchy Stingray sound, while parallel offers a thinner, more scooped tone, and single-coil provides a hum-canceling, brighter alternative."

 

So you should have three distinctively different sounds there. I'd take it to your local music shop/tech and get them to have a look at it. It sounds like a simple enough fix, maybe a new blade switch is in order.

[pineweasel]

I have a 2011 SR5 and the three sounds are quite distinctive. When the switch is back toward the bridge, the pickup coils are wired in parallel. The sound is slightly scooped or hollow. This is the classic Stingray tone as produced by the 4 strings. Toward the neck gives you the coils in series, a powerful punchy tone that I find the most useful one. And on post 2008 models, the middle position is series wiring plus a filter, which to my ears rolls off the top end and slightly accentuates the bottom. It’s a sort of vintage series sound. There’s no single coil mode after 2008. 

[ASW]

Thanks for the replies. It does appear there is something wrong with my one then as from what's being described, I'm sure I would be able to hear the difference if it was working properly. 

 

I'll have a look at the switch wiring   today to see if there's anything obviously wrong and go from there.